Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style by Sonoko Sakai

Bold, global recipes with a Japanese twist.

From Sonoko Sakai, the celebrated author of Japanese Home Cooking, comes Wafu Cooking, a groundbreaking exploration of Japanese-inspired fusion cuisine. Wafu, meaning "Japanese style," brings together ingredients, techniques, and flavors from around the globe, blending them with a distinctly Japanese sensibility.

Who is this book for?

• Cooks craving creativity: Perfect for adventurous home cooks who want to combine global influences with Japanese tradition.
• Fans of Japanese cuisine: Dive deeper into Japanese cooking with modern recipes that expand beyond the classics.
• Beginner and experienced chefs alike: Learn the essentials of dashi, miso, and soy sauce to elevate any dish with a wafu twist.
• Culinary storytellers: With recipes inspired by Sakai’s life in New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico, this book weaves personal stories into every bite.

What’s inside?

• Globally inspired dishes: Try Dashi Cheese Grits with Honey Miso Butter, Caesar Salad with Aonori Croutons, and Miso Apple Pie.
• Japanese comfort food reimagined: Collard Greens and Cabbage Miso Soup with Crispy Bacon and Shio Koji Marinated Roast Chicken.
• The building blocks of wafu cuisine: Master dashi, miso, and soy sauce to infuse your cooking with Japanese flair.

Celebrating the cultural exchange between Japan and the world, Wafu Cooking offers 120+ innovative recipes that reflect the interconnected way we eat today. Whether you’re reinventing a classic or experimenting with new flavors, this cookbook is a must-have for the globally minded chef.

About the Author

Sonoko Sakai is a cooking teacher and food writer based in Los Angeles. She is the author of Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style, and Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors. Sonoko has been featured in publications such as New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, and many more for her dedicated work as a Cook, Storyteller, and Food Activist. Sonoko’s name means garden in Japanese. And for her, everything begins and ends in the garden.